


Sunburns

by Mimm



Category: Legend of the Ice People - Margit Sandemo
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-20
Updated: 2010-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-13 21:23:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/141863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimm/pseuds/Mimm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hot summer days, four friends, and a lot of underlying feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sunburns

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hildigunnur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hildigunnur/gifts).



> Takes place before the whole Villemo/Eldar incident. While the main pairing is Dominic/Niklas and the fic focuses on them, there is strong Dominic/Villemo and Niklas/Irmelin in the background due to obvious canon reasons.

It was the hottest day they had had that summer. Everywhere Dominic looked, he saw workers carrying heavy-looking bags and buckets, stopping every now and then to wipe their foreheads with their arms, then continuing with their heavy loads. He felt exhausted just looking at them. What he wouldn't have given for a fistful of the coldest, purest snow right now. He was only wearing trousers and a light shirt, but minimal as it was, it still felt too much.

He had spent the day with his friends, enjoying their company as much as possible, knowing it would still end too soon. Sure, he had his comrades in Sweden, as well as his closest family, but he had always felt like he couldn't spend enough time in Norway where the rest of his family was. Where his best friends were. Niklas and Villemo, and of course Irmelin.

They had mostly wandered around aimlessly, in the village and in the nearby woods, finally ending up in a silent location where all they could see besides the trees behind them was bright green grass and a clear blue sky. Birds were chattering around them, invisible, joined by a group of grasshoppers and bumblebees. Everything around them seemed as perfect as it ever could.

"This can't be healthy," Villemo exclaimed, falling down on the ground with her skirt hems riding so high as to reveal her pale legs and left knee. Dominic was staring at them, and apparently he was too forward, since when Villemo noticed his gaze she pulled her bare feet under the skirts while giving him a look. "I do love summer but this is too much," Villemo continued.

Irmelin nodded while joining Villemo on the ground, sitting down in a more lady-like manner, making certain she wasn't showing parts that weren't supposed to show when gentlemen were around.

"I wanted to help out my father today," she said, "but he said he was so tired he wouldn't be working much. So there was no use in my being there."

"You don't enjoy our company?" Villemo asked, grinning. Irmelin, not equipped to answer such things with witty retorts, only gave her a small smile.

Niklas, who had been silent for a long while, walked to a wide birch tree and sat down in the shade under it. Next to him, there was a dead twig with branches pointing in all directions, and he picked it up. Dominic joined him under the tree, leaning his back against the rough bark. It felt surprisingly cool against his skin even through the fabric, and he let out a small sigh. They were all silent now, listening to the nature around them.

Niklas was picking at the twig, twisting and turning and snapping off a branch or two every now and then. To Dominic it looked like a severely misshaped man with seven arms and four legs, but he didn't bother saying anything. Niklas felt content in what he was doing, and that was enough.

"I wonder if I should get a cat," Villemo broke the silence.

"What brought that on?" Niklas asked, chuckling. "I assure you, this is not a cat."

"No, it's not about that weird looking twig monster. I was thinking about this old lady in the village, you know, the one with the big collection of rocks in her yard?"

"Oh, I know her," Irmelin said eagerly. "They look like little mountains." Her expression turned a shade more serious. "Or gravesites. I'm not sure if she's sweet and artistic or just strange."

"What about that lady?" Dominic asked Villemo, seeing she clearly wanted to talk about the cats and not some hand-made rock formations.

"Well," Villemo said, pausing for a while. Dominic nodded her to go on. "One of her cats just had four kittens. They are the most adorable things I have ever laid my eyes on. I wonder if I could get one. Sol had a black one, you know? Of course none of those are black, but I'm not Sol so maybe it doesn't matter. Or I don't know, maybe the point is that the cat is black."

She seemed like she could go on forever unless someone stopped her.

"Would your parents allow you to get a cat?" Dominic asked, stopping her solitary speech before it got too lengthy and messy.

"I don't know," Villemo said, suddenly looking a bit lost, or possibly confused. "I will ask them."

"Sounds like a good plan," Niklas said. His twig shape now looked more like a mutated elk than a human, but he seemed happy with it as he set it on the ground next to him. He got up. "I don't know about you all, but I really need something to cool down. This heat is starting to get to my head."

Dominic had to admit that Niklas wasn't looking his best, nor was he feeling his best. Villemo, instead of getting offended by Niklas's abrupt end to the cat conversation, looked as concerned as Dominic was feeling.

"Maybe we should go home," Irmelin said, getting up in order to go to Niklas. She took a step but then stopped, and Dominic wasn't sure why. "Maybe my father could help you," she said, her voice a little uncertain. It wasn't like her to have doubts when it came to her father. Everyone in the whole town knew Mattias Meiden was one of the best doctors they had ever met. Whatever he may have lacked in talent, he gained in kindness. If anyone could help Niklas, it was Mattias.

"Have you ever tried, you know, with your hands?" Villemo asked, her voice so shy Dominic had to look at her to see if it was still Villemo and not someone else. Niklas gave her a puzzled look as well. "I mean, I was just wondering since you have those healing hands of yours, if maybe you could use them to heal yourself," Villemo ended meekly.

Niklas gave her a wide smile, and it made him look much better than he was probably feeling.

"I wish it were that easy, Villemo," he said. "But I suppose even I have to have a weakness of some kind."

"Ha," Villemo said, her voice lacking sympathy but filled with humour. "Even perfect Niklas isn't perfect. There is justice in this world after all."

Dominic felt a pang of something unpleasant inside, but he wasn't sure why. It couldn't have been because Villemo sounded so victorious. Or could it? Maybe the heat was messing with his head as well.

* * *

"Lots of cool water and no running around," Mattias said, as he let Niklas join his friends. As if Niklas ever "run around", Dominic thought. Niklas had to be one of the least fidgety and restless people Dominic knew, and if he ever saw Niklas run around like, say, Villemo, he would know the world was soon coming to an end.

"We will rope him down and drown him in water," Villemo promised Mattias, and she sounded almost serious.

"You do that," Mattias said, laughing. "It should only do him good."

They were in Irmelin's home, but to Dominic it seemed like Irmelin wasn't feeling comfortable at all. Something about her seemed ill at ease, like something was bothering her. He couldn't figure out what it could be, and he didn't feel like it was his business to ask her. They were friends but not that close. She seemed to cast a look to Niklas every now and then, but that wasn't causing her unease. Dominic felt it most when she was looking at Villemo. It made no sense.

The four of them walked out to the front yard. The weather was still warm and sunny, but the sun had moved a little further. Not long before it would go down and let the air cool down a little. It seemed the night couldn't come soon enough, Dominic thought. He shared Villemo's feelings; he loved summer but there was such a thing as too much summer. This past week had been like that, and this day especially.

"Hey," Villemo said. "What do you say we go to that cat lady now?"

"As much as I would love to get scratched by tiny little pin prick needles people call paws, I don't think I should," Niklas said, grinning apologetically. "I should be drinking, not bleeding. Isn't that what your father told, Irmelin?"

At once, Dominic could feel Irmelin's mood brighten. It wasn't difficult to understand there was more going on in the background than Dominic had imagined. Her foul mood towards Villemo started to make sense.

"You're boring," Villemo said, but it came out more resigned than angry. "I suppose I really need to ask my parents first."

"How about we go swimming?" Niklas said.

"Yes! Let's!" Villemo said. Again, Irmelin looked uncomfortable but also excited, one after another, and she bit her lip. Dominic could understand her so well. He himself was feeling like that at the prospect of getting to see Villemo... in the water. He felt his heart beat a little faster.

"I don't know," Irmelin said. "Wasn't Niklas supposed to get rest?"

"Your father said I need to cool down and not run around. Wouldn't swimming cool me down?"

"I suppose," Irmelin said, still concerned. "Swimming would feel great," she admitted, first with a small smile, then with a wide grin.

It was decided. The four of them would go swimming. Dominic wasn't sure how to feel about it.

* * *

They had barely walked two minutes when they saw Kaleb heading their way. His face softened as he saw them, and he waved his hand.

"What kind of mischief are you four up to this time?" Kaleb asked, amused.

"We're going swimming," Villemo said. "Niklas isn't feeling well and needs to cool down."

As the words sunk in, Dominic could see how the expression on Kaleb's face turned from amusement to confusion to something resembling anger, though what Dominic felt from him wasn't anger as much as upset.

"No," Kaleb said, his voice stern. "Absolutely not."

"But father!" Villemo said, staring at her father in bewilderment. It was obvious she hadn't expected this reaction from him. "Why not? I am a good swimmer, you know that."

"It's not about swimming," Kaleb said, looking a bit awkward. "You can't go and swim together," he continued. "You should know that."

"But why?" Villemo repeated. Irmelin, obviously understanding more than Villemo, pulled Villemo by her sleeve.

"Come, Villemo," she said. "I don't feel like swimming anyway. Let the boys go if they want." She cast a careful look at Niklas before looking down.

"No, Irmelin, I want to swim," Villemo insisted. "Father, it is really hot outside. Water would be nice and refreshing." She gave her father an almost shy look, a real doting daughter, and Dominic had to smile to himself. "Please?"

"Are you going to drag Irmelin there against her will?" her father asked, and it was obvious Villemo was starting to lose the argument.

"No, of course not. I..." Villemo looked lost. "All right, father. Irmelin, would you like to go to your house?" she said, putting certain stress on the 'your' as if to emphasize she wasn't willing to go to her own house while her father was being such a bull-headed bore.

"Yes," Irmelin said. "I actually have something to show you," she said, and Dominic could see the defeat in Villemo's eyes was already starting to turn into curiosity. She seemed happy again, but Dominic, however, had lost his happiness. The four of them weren't going to go swimming together after all.

* * *

Dominic was soaking wet as he tried to walk out of the water. His clothes were clinging to his skin, preventing him from moving his limbs the way he wanted to. He felt trapped and miserable and cold.

"That was probably the stupidest thing I have yet done," he shouted, but there was no anger in his voice, just amusement and slight exhaustion.

"That may be," Niklas shouted back. "But wasn't that fun?" Niklas burst out laughing, and there was so much joy in his voice that Dominic had to grin. It wasn't every day he saw Niklas as lively and happy as he was right now. "This pond is amazing!"

There was a great splash, and just when Dominic managed to turn his head to Niklas's way, he saw the young man falling into the water, back first, his arms wide open at his sides.

"Just don't drown," Dominic laughed. "I'd hate to be the bringer of bad news when I go home."

Niklas swam towards him, splashing him with yet more water, as if he wasn't already wet enough.

"You're no fun."

"Oh, I am fun. I just don't find running head first into water the best idea in the world. How on earth am I ever going to get these things dry?"

Niklas spurted out water from his mouth, then stood up, pulling his hair back with his hands. Every single bit of clothing he was wearing was sheer against his skin. It was an unforgettable sight, Dominic had to admit, and he wasn't sure if he was supposed to like it quite as much as he did.

"I'll make us a fire," Niklas said, wading his way through water faster than Dominic, until they were walking side by side.

They reached the shore in a few moments, and as soon as Dominic's feet touched the ground, he could feel the little pebbles and twigs sticking to the soles of his feet; a sharp contrast to the smoothness of the water. It reminded him of his younger years and the early summer days, when he would get to go out barefoot but his feet hadn't yet been accustomed to the harsh ground. By the end of the summer, he would feel hardly any discomfort while running in the woods. He felt like it was the first day of summer all over again.

"I see you're feeling better," Dominic said to Niklas. Not only did he sound overly joyous and relaxed, he did in fact look much better than he had earlier.

"I am," Niklas admitted, shivering a bit. "The air feels damned cold right now, and I don't think I've felt this good in a while. Come on, let's gather up some wood."

Quietly they went their separate ways, walking around the shore, digging up any dry twigs and branches they could find. Dominic found a couple of pine cones and stuffed them under his still very damp shirt, hoping they wouldn't get too soaked there. After a while, he had his hands full, so he headed back to the pond.

"Nice," Niklas said, looking at his findings. He was already building a fire with the twigs he had found, and Dominic knelt down to help him. It didn't take long before they were looking at a small, crackling fire that started growing bigger. Dominic walked to gather up a few rocks to place around the fire.

Niklas took off his shirt, mumbling a curse every now and then as he seemed to get stuck. Dominic smirked at the comic sight, but the smirk died when he realized he wasn't going to get his own shirt off any easier than Niklas. How on earth can getting undressed be so much hard work, he wondered.

"We probably should have gone swimming naked," Niklas said, and immediately he had a strange expression on his face, as if he had only then realized what he had said. It wouldn't have been the first time, not by any means, but it had been a few years since the last time. Somehow the thought didn't feel as natural anymore as it had back when they had been young boys. Things were different now. They were different.

Everything was different, and very, very confusing. Dominic wasn't sure what to think of it. He was only glad that Villemo and Irmelin hadn't been allowed to join them. That would have been a disaster. At worst, this was only a minor disaster.

Niklas set up a few longer twigs to make a holder for their wet clothes. One by one, they wrung the excess water out of them and hung them to dry. One trouser leg fell into the fire, but Dominic was quick enough to get it out before anything happened to it.

"I wonder what your mother would say if you went home without trousers," Dominic said to Niklas, grinning, and Niklas laughed back at him.

"Whatever it would be, it couldn't possibly be anything compared to what your mother would say."

It was true and Dominic knew that. His mother was one of a kind. Good thing she was a long, long way away from here, safe in their little home in Sweden. She would surely die of shock if she knew of all the things her dear, well brought up son was up to when she wasn't looking.

They sat down by the fire, trying to find a way to sit without their legs splayed in too crude a manner. Everything felt a bit awkward between them, but Dominic could already feel things getting less so, little by little. They had known each other since they were very young, so of course they should be able to handle this situation as any other old friends would, unexpected as it may have been.

"I wonder what Irmelin had to show Villemo," Niklas said, and it took Dominic a while to understand what he meant.

"Probably a girl thing," Dominic replied. "A dress or something else Villemo can appreciate more than we can."

"Yes," Niklas agreed. "Maybe."

"What do you think of her?" Niklas then asked, looking Dominic in the eye. Dominic wasn't sure which one Niklas meant, but he was a bit scared to ask.

"She's nice," he said, deciding that it would fit either one, and it wouldn't sound suspicious.

"She is," Niklas agreed, sighing. "I wonder if I like her."

There was a long pause.

"Dominic?" Niklas then asked, and Dominic sense he was more than a little nervous.

"Yes?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Do you like someone? I mean, a girl, or someone like that?"

Dominic grinned. "Someone like a girl? What exactly would that be?"

Niklas had to grin back. "You know what I meant, hair-splitter."

"I know, I know. And yes, I do like someone. Why do you ask?"

His heart was racing now.

"I think I like Irmelin," Niklas then said, and Dominic let out a silent sigh. He had feared Niklas would suddenly say Villemo's name, as unlikely as that would have been. He didn't know what he would have said in that case.

"There's a lot to like about her," Dominic agreed. "I'm sure she likes you too."

"You think so?" Niklas asked, and he looked at Dominic, desperate for an answer. Suddenly Dominic wasn't sure what he should say, because he really didn't know if Irmelin really liked Niklas, or how much, or if the two of them were only having a small crush that would be over as soon as it had begun.

"She does, Niklas," Dominic said, then paused to think. "I just don't know how much. But she definitely considers you a good friend."

Niklas looked a little disappointed. He felt like it, too.

"A good friend is better than no friend at all," Dominic said, hearing how cliche and empty the words sounded. It wasn't as if he himself was content to know Villemo liked him as a friend. Sometimes a person wanted more than friendship.

"Who is the girl you like?" Niklas asked, shifting their conversation to another direction. Dominic wasn't ready to answer any questions. He didn't even know if he _knew_ the answers. He had been too scared to examine his situation.

"Just someone."

"Someone from home?" Niklas asked, meaning Sweden. But for Dominic, Sweden was only one of his homes, just like Norway, so...

"Yes," he admitted. He didn't lie. He just viewed the truth from another angle.

"Is she pretty?"

"Very." Dominic could feel a wave of warmth go through him as he tried to focus on what Villemo looked like. Yes, she really was very beautiful. A bit too beautiful, even, because it made everything even worse for Dominic.

"And you won't tell me her name?" Niklas asked, with a glint in his eyes.

"Not this time," Dominic said, looking down at the fire. It was crackling happily now, alive and hot, sending warm shivers down his spine and caressing his skin. The air around them was still warm, but no longer as hot as it had been. Evening was coming, slowly, but for now it was still late afternoon. Dominic lay down on the warm grass, closing his eyes, letting the sun wash over him. Next to him, he heard rustling, and he knew Niklas followed his example.

For a long while, neither one said anything.

"I kissed her once," Niklas then said, breaking the silence. Dominic frowned, his eyes still shut.

"Who? Irmelin?"

"No. Villemo."

Dominic's eyes flew open.

"What? Kissed Villemo? When?" He didn't know what he felt. It wasn't rage or anger, but it was something very unpleasant. Something gnawing. Jealousy? Definitely. Dominic couldn't look at Niklas, because he was sure Niklas would immediately see what was rushing through his mind, and instead he looked ahead, up at the blue sky and the grey white clouds.

"It was nothing," Niklas said, turning his face towards Dominic. "Just a silly game."

"How is kissing a silly game?" Dominic asked, his heart in his throat. He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.

"She wanted to know what it was like to kiss someone. She asked me. At first I didn't want to, but then, you know, since I really wanted to know too, and I couldn't ask Irmelin because then _she_ would know, I said yes. I don't like Villemo that way. She's like a sister to me."

Not very many people kiss their sisters, Dominic would have wanted to say but didn't.

"She asked you to kiss her, and you did," Dominic repeated. "Did you like it?"

Niklas didn't respond at first, and Dominic turned his head to look at him. He could see Niklas was frowning a little.

"It wasn't bad, but I didn't really feel anything."

Thank god for small mercies, Dominic thought to himself.

"And she?"

"I don't think she cares for me, either. I don't think she cares for any man. She seems too restless for that."

"I know what you mean," Dominic said, trying to avoid sounding as sad as he felt.

The fire crackled on, and the sun was warm, and Dominic felt drowsy. He closed his eyes, just for a second.

* * *

A noise woke Dominic up, but he was too groggy to recognize what it had been. Probably a bird somewhere nearby, or maybe some other animal. The evening air was getting cooler now, the sky darker, but the fire was still there to protect them from the cold. Dominic couldn't tell how long he had been sleeping, but it couldn't have been long if the fire was still alive. He turned to look on his other side, but Niklas was no longer there.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up yet," Niklas said, and Dominic turned around on his stomach, facing towards the voice. Niklas was sitting a bit further from the fire, behind Niklas, holding something green in his hands. It was a narrow leaf of grass, held tight between the sides of Niklas's thumbs, and Dominic realized the noise he had heard had been the shrill sound coming from when Niklas had blown to the leaf.

"It came out louder than I meant," Niklas grinned apologetically. "Might as well give it a full blow now."

It was an ugly sound, a bit like a duck whose neck had been chopped in half and then glued back together, if such a thing was possible.

"I see you are getting bored," Dominic said, only now noticing that he was still without clothes, while Niklas was fully clothed. Well, his shirt was open, but it was still on him. Somehow Dominic didn't feel as bothered by the situation as he maybe should have. It felt natural for him to lie on the ground with no clothes on.

Not something he had thought would happen tonight. Then, the day had been strange as it was, so there was probably nothing that could make it any stranger.

Dominic turned to the fire, took his shirt in his hands to see if it was still damp, but it was dry. At once he put it on, and the cotton felt pleasant against his skin. He grabbed his trousers and pulled them on. It was when he put on his clothes that he noticed how cold it already was. He would have been shivering without the fire.

"You make the strangest sounds when you're asleep," Niklas said, raising his eyes from the leaf still between his hands. "I thought you were talking to me, but I suppose you weren't."

"No," Dominic said, knowing what Niklas meant. "I talk to... people. Not real people, mind you, I am not quite that far gone. Let's call them imaginary friends."

"At your age?" Niklas looked incredulous. "Really?"

"No, not really. It's difficult to explain. It's part of my gift."

That seemed to be explanation enough for Niklas, because he dropped the subject.

"Should we head home?" Dominic asked. Niklas stood up, unrushed, and there was a new air about him. Something Dominic couldn't quite put his finger on. It was nothing unpleasant but it was definitely something he hadn't felt before. Niklas was avoiding his gaze, like maybe he had something to hide.

"I'm so hungry I could eat three meals in a row," Niklas said, walking by the pond to pick up some water in his hands before carrying it to the fire. The crackling turned into a smoky hiss as the fire died.

Niklas lead the way, and Dominic walked after him, adjusting his shirt.

No, it wasn't hunger. At least Dominic didn't think it was. He had an idea of what it felt like, but it didn't make any sense.

* * *

For a few next days, Dominic didn't see Niklas. Villemo and Irmelin, yes, but Niklas always seemed to be somewhere else, doing something, and it was as if he was avoiding everyone.

A few days after the swimming incident it was yet another hot and sunny summer day. Dominic was sitting on the church stairs, waiting for Mattias. The doctor had promised the priest he would help with a family who was too poor to pay for help, and they definitely needed help. Dominic had promised to offer a hand, because he felt like he could use a distraction. Spending time with Villemo proved to be a bad idea, as it was getting harder and harder to remain nonchalant with her so close to him.

Further away, Dominic saw Irmelin, and with him there was Niklas. It felt good to see him again. They were walking slowly side by side, talking. Neither of them had noticed Dominic, as they seemed to be too deep in whatever conversation they were having. Irmelin was smiling, every now and then brushing her hair behind her ear, shyly looking down and almost blushing at whatever Niklas was telling her. Niklas looked like a man in love, almost glowing, with a bright smile on his face. It was clear that those two had strong feelings for each other, however brief they may prove to be. Dominic felt a pang of envy, because he would have given a lot to be able to chat like that with Villemo, the clueless, oblivious girl who didn't seem to notice what was right in front of her.

Niklas turned his head and noticed Dominic, and for a brief second he looked embarrassed. He turned to Irmelin, said something to her, and then they both turned to Dominic. Irmelin chimed a happy hello while Niklas, now more composed than only a moment earlier, raised his hand. Leaning closer to Irmelin, he looked like he whispered something to her ear and was then on his way to Dominic while Irmelin walked the other way.

"I can see you are feeling better than last time," Dominic said as Niklas finally reached him.

"I had a bit of a headache but it went away, thanks to our beloved Mattias and his magical remedies."

Niklas looked fidgety and something about him screamed "Guilty!", though Dominic couldn't figure out why. Surely it couldn't have been the fact that he had seen Niklas and Irmelin sharing an apparently intimate conversation with each other?

"The magical doctor is actually the reason I'm here," Dominic said, explaining his promise. "You are welcome to join us," he finished.

It took a little too long before Niklas replied, and to Dominic's surprise his answer was negative. It wasn't like Niklas to turn down a chance to help people in need.

"I already have other engagements," he said almost apologetically. "But next time, ask me and I will be there."

Dominic nodded, and before he could ask any further questions, he saw Mattias heading their way.

"Ah, Niklas," the doctor said. "Are you joining our little group?"

Niklas said to him the same thing he had said to Dominic. Mattias was sorry about that, but when Niklas left, Dominic could have sworn the young man was relieved.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the tired party of three came back. Dominic wasn't feeling like himself; he could feel his shoulders scrape against his usually soft shirt, like it was made out of coarse sand.

"That was a stupid thing to do," Mattias scolded him, and not without a good reason. Dominic had offered to help with the yard work, and in the process he had managed to get his shoulders burnt in the scorching sun. He insisted wearing a shirt had been torture in the heat but, as Mattias said, maybe that would have been the less unpleasant of the two choices. It would take him longer to get better from this than the discomfort of one shirt.

Mattias offered him a small pouch of some kind of green-tinted balm to apply on his skin.

"Perhaps you should talk to Niklas, too," Mattias said before Dominic parted from him and the priest. It sounded like a good idea, though Dominic wasn't sure how Niklas would feel about it. His gift was probably meant for something bigger than a pair of burnt shoulders.

It was nearing evening so Dominic was certain he would find Niklas at his home, but as Dominic arrived there, Eli told him that Niklas had gone out. Probably to the pond, she said, so that's where Dominic headed next.

"Hey there," he said as he saw Niklas sitting on a rock by the now dead fire. Niklas turned around abruptly, obviously startled by his arrival. He have Dominic a half grin.

"Your mother said you would be here," Dominic continued, sitting down several feet away from Niklas. He didn't want to impose.

"Is everything all right?" Niklas asked, sounding a little concerned.

"Apart from my stupidity, yes," Dominic grinned, and at once Niklas seemed to relax.

"What have you done? I thought you were our smartest, what with working for the king and everything."

"It certainly isn't my finest hour, but to my defense I am off duty."

"What can I do for you?" Niklas asked, his eyes glinting with both humour and seriousness at the same time.

"I have managed to burn my shoulders," Dominic said. "Apparently your recent experiences with the sun and the heat didn't teach me a thing."

"Ah, and now you need a hand, am I correct?"

"You could say that. Yes. If you wouldn't mind."

"Come here," Niklas said, still clearly amused.

Dominic got up and walked to Niklas, who motioned him to sit on the ground in front of him. Dominic took off his shirt, grimacing at the unpleasant tenderness of the skin.

"Mattias gave me this," he said, offering Niklas the pouch. "All I know is it smells strange, but maybe you can use it to double the healing effect," he finished.

With his back towards Niklas, Dominic couldn't see the expression on his face, but he could sense Niklas's thoughts and emotions frighteningly clearly. He was upset and nervous, then happy and excited, and then scared, one after another like he couldn't decide what he should be feeling and was feeling everything at once. It was almost like a loud, jumbled noise in Dominic's head. He had to close his eyes tightly to somehow block it all out.

"Is everything all right with you?" he asked, worried, thinking that he knew now what it must have been, but afraid Niklas would never say the words out loud. He was surprised to realize he actually wanted it to happen.

"I'm fine," Niklas said, and his hands touched Dominic's skin. He shivered at the cool touch. It wasn't the first time Niklas touched him, and it wasn't even the first time Niklas used his healing abilities on him, but it was the first time Dominic felt such a rush of emotion caused by a single touch.

The coolness soon changed to warmth, slowly getting hotter, and even when Dominic knew that putting something warm on skin that had already burnt was usually a very unpleasant experience, this was completely different. He felt like he couldn't live without the warmth radiating from Niklas; like he needed it to be there, always. It was a wonderful feeling, like life itself, and he sighed, leaning back a little.

Niklas's strokes were slow and soft, like a caress of warm water. Dominic noticed Niklas's chaotic emotions were getting calmer, narrowing down to one single feeling; enjoyment.

"You smell of birch leaves," Niklas said with a low voice. The words were accompanied by a strong sensation of pleasure.

They were both silent for a while, apart from the deep breaths Dominic took as Niklas's hands travelled on his shoulders, taking away all the soreness he had ever felt.

"What happened last time?" Dominic asked, breaking the silence, knowing that whatever had happened to Niklas had happened during their last stay by the pond. He knew the result but he didn't know the how or the why.

Niklas was silent for so long that Dominic almost asked him if he was still awake.

"It's nothing."

Uncomfortable.

"It's something," Dominic insisted. "And I think I know what it could be."

Niklas's hands stopped moving.

Dominic had to convince him that there was nothing to fear from him. Not in this case. Not now. They had been friends for far too long.

"My mother would die of horror, but I am not my mother," he said, then paused for a long time. "I have sometimes wondered what it's like. I've heard rumours. Once I even heard my parents talking about it, and they mentioned Villemo's grandfather."

"Alexander Paladin?" Niklas asked sounding surprised, the first words in a while. Dominic felt he was feeling a little shocked but also less tense.

"In his youth, yes," Dominic nodded. "The way I see it, it doesn't have to define you for life. What you do now and what you do later are two different things."

"Then you don't think it's wrong?"

"I think it's neither wrong nor right. It just is."

Carefully, Dominic could feel Niklas's hands move further down along his arms. The skin on his shoulders was prickling, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. The skin felt healed. Closing his eyes tighter, Dominic raised his hands to touch Niklas's hands, and his reaction, the surge of pleasure, was doubled by Niklas's similar reaction.

"I wanted you," Niklas whispered. "I didn't think it was possible, but I did. But you were asleep."

Dominic knew already. He had known all along.

"I'm not asleep now."

Slowly, painfully slowly, he turned to face Niklas, kneeling in front of him. They looked at each other, yellow eyes mirrored, and then Dominic touched the side of Niklas's neck with his hand. It was a confirmation and a question, and Niklas replied by leaning forward and kissing Dominic on the lips.

Briefly Dominic thought of Villemo, but the firm lips and low moans of pleasure were all Niklas, and the strong hands in his hair and on his back were all Niklas, and soon there was no one else in the world for him.

Breathing heavily, he pushed Niklas to the ground, his hands sliding under his shirt, and Niklas laughed. Dominic felt bubbly inside, happy and mischievous. Hungry like he had never been.

"This can't be right," Niklas said in a strained voice between kisses.

"Call this wrong and I will stop," Dominic said, knowing he couldn't do that. Not anymore.

"Don't you dare," Niklas said, pushing Dominic so that he was now the one with his back against the cool grass, pinned to the ground by strong hands on his sides. "I have wanted this so badly I am not letting you go."

It sounded like a threat but it felt like a promise.

All Dominic's dreams of being together with Villemo had always been about him taking control, about him pushing Villemo on the bed, on the grass, against the tree, kissing her neck and breasts and thighs. Now he was the one on his back, with eager hands on his skin, nails gently scraping at his sides, going further down towards his trousers. He couldn't stop the deep sigh that passed his lips, and when he felt fingers slip past his waistband, he arched his back and let out a low grunt. This wasn't what he had dreamt, but he couldn't imagine anything that he would want more.

"What are you doing?" he tried to whisper, the words stuck in his throat as Niklas's hands covered more delicate skin on his hips, pulling his trousers down.

"You know already," Niklas said before coming down to him and kissing his shoulder. "Now just enjoy."

Dominic rested his hands on Niklas's shoulder blades. He let his fingers slide up to Niklas's neck, his hair, and pulled him down for a kiss. He didn't want to think anymore. He knew what his body wanted, and it was enough for him.

Niklas pulled away for a brief moment and Dominic felt a cool breeze against his chest. The warmth came back twice as intense as Niklas, now shirtless, came back down on him, hands grasping at his waist and hips.

He had never done this before, but his body knew what it was doing, and he pushed his hips against Niklas's; a movement that made Niklas moan into Dominic's ear and grind himself against Dominic's thigh. Between kisses and groans, they fumbled at their trousers in desperate need to remove as much fabric from between them as possible. It was clear to Dominic that Niklas wasn't thinking anymore -- all he could feel inside him was the urgency mingled with pleasure and wanting and lust.

When they finally touched, skin against skin, flesh against flesh, everything in Dominic's mind turned into a white chaos, and no amount of contact with Niklas's body seemed enough. He moved his hips, grinding them against Niklas, digging his fingers into Niklas's back hard enough to bruise the skin, tangling his legs with Niklas's, trying to pull him as close as was possible, until all he could feel was pure bliss. What had been chaos now turned into silence, broken only by their rapid breaths. The hunger he had felt was now sated.

For a long while they lay there in silence, side by side, until Niklas chuckled, then laughed.

"What is so funny?" Dominic asked, turning his eyes from the darkening sky to Niklas's flushed face, finding it hard not to laugh himself.

"Nothing," Niklas said, trying to compose himself, "I was just thinking that you came here for my hands, and instead you got... that."

"Well, I don't mind," Dominic said, grinning. "My shoulders are feeling great, perfectly nice and healed."

"I aim to please."

"I can see that."

A low rumble interrupted them, and Niklas sat up, looking around. Dominic followed his example and noticed a few darker clouds further away.

"As much as I like watching you shirtless, I think we should leave," he said, pushing himself up and offering his hand to Niklas.

Niklas took his hand and got up. He adjusted his trousers, picked up their shirts and offered the other one to Dominic.

They headed for home. The dark clouds in the sky were gathering up quickly, heading their way, and there was a flash of light covering up the whole sky before there was another rumble, this one much stronger than the first one. It started to rain, the water gently rustling against the leaves of the surrounding trees. The two men picked up their pace until they were running, but by the time they had reached Linden Alley, they were both dripping water. Eli scolded them before they could even say hello, and shoved them to Niklas's room to put on something dry. All they could do was grin apologetically and do as they were told.

When they were warm and dry and sitting by the fireplace, Dominic closed his eyes. The shirt he was wearing smelled of Niklas. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent, knowing he would never give the shirt back.


End file.
